Matthew James Thomas News

World premiere musical written by Barry Levinson, music and lyrics by Sheryl Crow, and directed by Kathleen Marshall is just plain fun.

Virginia's Signature Theatre presents the world premiere of Diner, the musical adaptation of the landmark film with a book by the movie's Academy Award-winning screenwriter and director Barry Levinson (Rain Man, Bugsy, The Natural) and an original score by nine-time Grammy Award winner Sheryl Crow. The production began performances at Signature Theatre's MAX Theatre December 9 and will play through January 25. Signature just unveiled a new trailer for the show, and you can check it out below!

Virginia's Signature Theatre presents the world premiere of Diner, the musical adaptation of the landmark film with a book by the movie's Academy Award-winning screenwriter and director Barry Levinson (Rain Man, Bugsy, The Natural) and an original score by nine-time Grammy Award winnerSheryl Crow. The production began performances at Signature Theatre's MAX Theatre December 9 and will play through January 25.

Virginia's Signature Theatre presents the world premiere of Diner, the musical adaptation of the landmark film with a book by the movie's Academy Award-winning screenwriter and director Barry Levinson (Rain Man, Bugsy, The Natural) and an original score by nine-time Grammy Award winner Sheryl Crow. The production began performances at Signature Theatre's MAX Theatre December 9 and will play through January 25. Signature just unveiled a new trailer for the show, and you can check it out below!

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: POCATELLO opens off-Broadway, MR. MAGOO'S CHRISTMAS and 26 PEBBLES benefit good causes, and NOT THE MESSIAH begins tonight at Carnegie Hall!

Virginia's Signature Theatre presents the world premiere of Diner, the musical adaptation of the landmark film with a book by the movie's Academy Award-winning screenwriter and director Barry Levinson (Rain Man, Bugsy, The Natural) and an original score by nine-time Grammy Award-winner Sheryl Crow. Check out a first look at the production below!

Virginia's Signature Theatre presents the world premiere of Diner, the musical adaptation of the landmark film with a book by the movie's Academy Award-winning screenwriter and director Barry Levinson (Rain Man, Bugsy, The Natural) and an original score by nine-time Grammy Award-winner Sheryl Crow. The production begins performances at Signature Theatre's MAX Theatre tonight, December 9. It will play for six and a half weeks, through January 25.

Virginia's Signature Theatre presents the world premiere of Diner, the musical adaptation of the landmark film with a book by the movie's Academy Award®-winning screenwriter and director Barry Levinson (Rain Man, Bugsy, The Natural) and an original score by nine-time Grammy Award® winner Sheryl Crow. Directed and choreographed by three-time Tony Award® WinnerKathleen Marshall (Broadway's Anything Goes, Nice Work If You Can Get It), the ensemble piece will feature Whitney Bashor (Barbara; Broadway's Bridges of Madison County and Signature's The Hollow), Bryan Fenkart (Modell; Broadway's Memphis), Aaron Finley (Billy; Broadway's Rock of Ages),Josh Grisetti (Shrevie; Off-Broadway's Enter Laughing), Erika Henningsen (Beth; Show Boat: Live from Lincoln Center with the NY Philharmonic), Derek Klena (Boogie; Broadway's Wicked, The Bridges of Madison County and Second Stage'sDogfight), Adam Kantor (Eddie; Broadway's Rent, Next to Normal and Second Stage's The Last Five Years), Tess Soltau(Elyse; Broadway's The Addams Family), Matthew James Thomas (Fenwick; Broadway's Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark,Pippin), and John Schiappa (Older Boogie; Broadway's Rocky, The Other Place, Wicked).

Virginia's Signature Theatre will soon present the world premiere of Diner, the musical adaptation of the landmark film with a book by the movie's Academy Award®-winning screenwriter and director Barry Levinson (Rain Man, Bugsy, The Natural) and an original score by nine-time Grammy Award® winner Sheryl Crow. Directed and choreographed by three-time Tony Award® Winner Kathleen Marshall (Broadway's Anything Goes, Nice Work If You Can Get It), the production begins performances at Signature Theatre's MAX Theatre December 9. It will play for six and a half weeks, through January 25. According to the Washington Post, later today Crow and Levinson will both take part in Post: POV, a series hosted by Peter Marks, at which the duo will discuss putting the new musical together.

Virginia's Signature Theatre just announced the full cast for the world premiere of Diner, the musical adaptation of the landmark film with a book by the movie's Academy Award®-winning screenwriter and director Barry Levinson (Rain Man, Bugsy, The Natural) and an original score by nine-time Grammy Award® winner Sheryl Crow. Directed and choreographed by three-time Tony Award® Winner Kathleen Marshall (Broadway's Anything Goes, Nice Work If You Can Get It), the ensemble piece will feature Whitney Bashor (Barbara; Broadway's Bridges of Madison County and Signature's The Hollow), Bryan Fenkart (Modell; Broadway's Memphis), Aaron Finley (Billy; Broadway's Rock of Ages),Josh Grisetti (Shrevie; Off-Broadway's Enter Laughing), Erika Henningsen (Beth; Show Boat: Live from Lincoln Center with the NY Philharmonic), Derek Klena (Boogie; Broadway's Wicked, The Bridges of Madison County and Second Stage'sDogfight), Adam Kantor (Eddie; Broadway's Rent, Next to Normal and Second Stage's The Last Five Years), Tess Soltau(Elyse; Broadway's The Addams Family), Matthew James Thomas (Fenwick; Broadway's Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark,Pippin), and John Schiappa (Older Boogie; Broadway's Rocky, The Other Place, Wicked).

Whether you've been living under a rock for the past week or you're just in the mood for a recap, BroadwayWorld's 'this week in pictures' is here to satisfy your end-of-the-week fix! Take a look below to catch up on the latest happenings from the Great White Way to The West End (and everywhere in between) with coverage of press events, rehearsals, opening nights and more. Highlights this week include the first preview of SIDE SHOW, Jeremy Jordan at 54 Below, the opening nights of THE REAL THING and THE LAST SHIP, and more!

On Thursday Evening, October 30th, there was certainly "Magic to Do" backstage at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre. Ben Vereen, the original "Leading Player" in the 1972 Broadway production of PIPPIN, visited with the cast backstage after watching the performance. Ben was reunited with his original "Pippin", actor John Rubinstein ("Charles"), with whom Ben appeared in the original Broadway production helmed by Bob Fosse. Actors pictured with Ben are Tony-Winner Andrea Martin ("Berthe") Matthew James Thomas ("Pippin"), Sasha Allen ("Leading Player") and more! Check out the photos below!

The Nederlander Organization and the producers of the Tony Winning revival of PIPPIN have announced that Kyle Dean Massey will assume the role of Pippin beginning Tuesday, Nov 4th at the Hollywood Pantages in Los Angeles. He will be replacing Matthew James Thomas who takes his final bow on Sunday, November 2nd.

Arguably, director Diane Paulus' greatest triumph to date is the spectacular new production of PIPPIN, the 2013 Tony-winning revival of Stephen Schwartz's trippy but winsome musical about the angst-riddled but hyper-aspirational young son of King Charlemagne, and his erratic, sometimes frustrating journey of self-discovery. In her marvelously inventive, re-imagined update---now playing at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood through November 9---Paulus brilliantly orients the topsy-turvy machinations of the entire story within the canvas-lined confines of a big-top circus. Here, the over-the-top performance troupe that 'guides' our hero's search for self-fulfillment aren't merely just actors (or 'players') but are also all agile, athletic circus performers that tumble, leap, and balance themselves for our (and Pippin's) entertainment pleasure. As expected, both Pippin and the audience are equally lulled into submission.

The 2013 Tony Award winning Best Revival of a Musical Pippin made its premiere earlier this week at L.A. Premiere at the Hollywood Pantages, where it will play through November 9th. Tickets are now on sale to the general public online at www.HollywoodPantages.com orwww.Ticketmaster.com, by phone at 800-982-2787 or at the Hollywood Pantages Box Office located at 6233 Hollywood Boulevard (Opens daily at 10am.) Check out a look back at the opening night's red carpet below!

In 1972 Pippin opened on Broadway and became one of the longest running musicals in Broadway history, closing in 1977. Stephen Schwartz's bubbling optimistic tunes made the surreal and sensual mood of the piece an ultra-pleasant experience for theatre goers. One actually left the theatre humming the score. Throughout the dreamlike texture of Pippin's quest for his 'Corner of the Sky', however, there blooms a simplistic, timeless message that reverberates to this day. So, even though this brand new revival set in a circus big top is visually more opulent with high swinging artists and feats of magic, the pieces of the puzzle do fit into place - original director Bob Fosse would approve - and the play's substance is untarnished. Director Diane Paulus may take a bow for her simply stunning ambition of embellishment. I prefer the simplicity of the original, which allows your imagination to take flight, but must own up to enjoying most of the new version. How can you not, as the Fosse-esque style with acrobatics added on make for a visually splendid evening of dance and action.

The entire national touring production of PIPPIN, which launched in Denver last month, has been dedicated to Denver Center for the Performing Arts President Randy Weeks, who died suddenly on Oct. 9 in London.

SHN previously announced that Andrea Martin, who won the 2013 Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for creating the role of 'Berthe' in the Broadway production, would reprise the role in the final two weeks (beginning today, October 7 and running through October 19) of the San Francisco engagement at the SHN Golden Gate Theatre.

Stars Sasha Allen (Broadway's Hair) and Matthew James Thomas (Broadway's Pippin, Spider-Man) stopped by KPIX CBS San Francisco Bay Area News yesterday to discuss the musical.

The air was crackling with excitement on opening night for the much anticipated revival of Pippin at San Francisco's Golden Gate Theatre. And for good reason. The show won four Tony Awards last year including Best Musical Revival, with Diane Paulus taking home the Tony for Best Director. Patina Miller as the Leading Player took home Best Actress, while Andrea Martin won Best Featured Actress. Not to be outdone, the national tour signed Sasha Allen, Lucie Arnaz, and John Rubinstein, not to mention Canada's circus troupe, Les 7 doigts de la main. Talk about the wow factor. Pippin is an exuberant, extravaganza of a show and it plays now through October 19 at SHN's Golden Gate Theatre.